More than a Game
by Coyote2486
Summary: Ash Ketchum is a sophomore in High School with his friends. He has become school renowned as one of the greatest players around, but gets caught up in his life with Dawn. Will he be able to separate his priorities and make the best choice for not only him, but his teammates as well? Pearlshipping, AU.
1. Part I: Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

As his alarm buzzed for him to wake up on his first day of his sophomore year in High School, Ash Ketchum arose from his bed as slow as humanly possible. He reached for the alarm like his life depended on it and ended the horrible noise. He then sighed in relief and lay back in bed spread eagle. He then rubbed his eyes out to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

_Nope, it's the first day of school. Wow, what a drag._ He thought. Knowing that he had no way to avoid it, he slowly got out of bed and readied himself. He threw on something basic like a red shirt and black jeans and walked out of his room. He grabbed some breakfast cereal and quickly poured it into a bowl with some milk and began to work his way through it. His mom made her way into the kitchen and noticed her son already up and moving.

"Oh, good morning Ash! Are you ready for your first day of school?" she asked. Ash nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he groggily replied. His mom chuckled at his slow response. Ash shook his head and finished his breakfast. He then noticed the time and realized that he should get going. He let his mom know he was off and snatched his backpack to take off for school. Ash had to walk to school since he was yet to get his driver's license and couldn't quite drive. He had a good walk to go, so he began to ponder. He was a great basketball player for the Freshman team last year, and he was hoping to make the Junior Varsity team this year at least. He personally played the Point Guard position and excelled at it. He held the school record for most three pointers in a season as a Freshman. His main man was Gary Oak, by far his best friend, and a Shooting Guard on the team along with him last year. Coaches had praised them as "one of the best backcourts they had ever seen" and compliments like that. What really made Ash excited however, was their new player. Over the summer workouts, a new kid who was also a sophomore had come from another school to play for their team. He couldn't exaggerate; this kid was _fast_ and probably the most athletic ball player in the area. He outran just about everyone, made the craziest threes, and rumor has it that he could dunk. Ash just dreamed in happiness if that was true. Throwing lobs in games to him, getting easy dimes (assists) off of his threes, and simply watching him work. He didn't have the greatest handles apparently, but that's what Ash was for, to get past everyone in sight and feed it to Gary, where he was lockdown basically everywhere. He just couldn't wait to get started.

Before long, he had arrived to the front gate of the campus and entered. Gary was basically waiting for the kid at the front. He greeted him with a smile.

"What's up big fella? What you been doing all this time eh?" he asked. Ash slapped his hand and fist bumped Gary's and shrugged.

"Nothin' much, just ballin' that's all I guess," Gary laughed at the comment.

"What's this Ash? What happened to 'school first'?" he teased. Ash shook his head.

"Hey, you've got to take a break eventually, know what I mean?" Gary nodded and laughed with Ash as they made their way into the heart of the school. Students surrounded them and socialized as they walked past. Ash whipped out his schedule and checked what his first class was. He saw that he had History first, his favorite subject. Gary checked his as well and noticed that he had the same class as Ash.

"Damn! We have the same class Ash, that's awesome!" he yelped. Ash nodded and fist bumped Gary in joy as the two would be able to hang out in their favorite class. The bell sounded and they both took off up the stairs to the third floor, which was the top floor, and the location of their new class. The two in-shape boys still huffed and puffed up the stairs as they reached the top. They then entered the building through the doors and located their class. They entered quickly and looked to sit in the mid-back of the class, since the front sucked, and the back would almost certainly get them moved out of suspicion. They sat across from each other and waited for more students to show up. More and more poured in and the two still didn't recognize anyone yet. Before long, one did show up, their starting Power Forward, Paul. The purple haired boy was taller than Ash, wore a blue zip up jacket and pants. He was easily one of the strongest kids at the school, since he was known for getting easy buckets without a problem, and could almost dunk last year. He noticed the two and quickly made his way to them. He lifted his hand up for the classic slap and fist bump.

"What's up fellas long time no see," he said. Ash nodded.

"You're telling me Paul, been a too long since we played a ballgame together!" he said with Gary nodding. Paul smiled and nodded. He then took a seat in front of Gary to stay close to them. Their teacher then walked in the classroom and began their introductions and lesson for the day.

* * *

Ash's next class was Spanish 2, which he didn't care for too much, but he was able to get a little hang of it. Unfortunately, none of his buddies were present and he just sat where ever and slugged through the class. His next class was Drawing I, a class he decided to take to take a break during the day. Mainly, he sat with a few Freshman and sat through the class without any of his friends again.

* * *

His next class was Algebra 2, and he finally got to see some familiar faces again. As he sat down, bored from the lack of socialization, he hoped that someone would walk in and save him. To his luck, one of his best friends, Misty, walked in to the class. When she saw him, she wasted no time sitting next to him.

"Hey Misty, how's it been?" he asked. The orange haired girl sat down and smiled at him.

"Well, it was good until today, you know what I mean?" she replied. Ash chuckled and nodded. The two sat quietly for a bit as people began to walk in, not noticing anyone else in particular, until Ash noticed the kid he was thinking about earlier. He had black hair, wore a red jacket and gray basketball shorts. He looked around for a bit until he noticed Ash, who must've been the only guy he knew in the class. The boy walked up to Ash with a slight smile on his face.

"What's up Ash?" he greeted and slapped hands and fist bumped. Ash couldn't remember his name unfortunately.

"What's up….uh dude," he said anxiously. The kid shook his head.

"Don't know my name? C'mon it's Napoleon!" he teased. Ash shook his head and slapped himself a few times, making Misty laugh.

"Napoleon! That's right!" he remembered. Napoleon laughed and waived it off. He then noticed Misty and his mind instantly jumped to conclusions.

"This your girl?" he asked him. The two gasped and blushed, holding up their hands.

"No, no! We're just friends!" Misty assured, Ash nodding madly. Napoleon laughed and nodded, then took a seat behind the two. Ash shook his head and calmed himself down and nodded at Misty. She shook her head and laughed, still shocked by the question. When the final people walked into the class, Ash noticed a girl that _did _catch his attention. She had blue hair and wore a black and pink miniskirt, and white undershirt that went down to her elbows. She also wore black socks that went up to her knees and pink boots with a white beanie on her head. He stared for a bit at the girl, and Misty noticed. As the girl took a seat a ways away from him, Misty whispered to him: "Do you like that girl Ash?" Ash whirled around and shook his head.

"What?! No, no way!" he pleaded, but his blush didn't hide anything. Misty laughed; he totally had a new crush. Ash put his head down and covered his face on his desk while she laughed at him.

"She seems cute though! I'll go talk to her after class I think, maybe I can hook you up!" she offered. Ash groaned and pleaded for her to stop and she laughed.

"Alright Ash, I'll give you a break," she promised and he slowly raised his head back up.

* * *

After 4th period ended, Ash tried to get out as fast as he could without the girl coming up next to him by accident. It was time for lunch, so he began to walk down the hall and out of the building on the third floor. Too late, Napoleon caught up with him.

"Yo Ash! What happened in there?" he asked, slightly laughing. Ash shook his head, he might as well tell one of his new basketball teammates.

"Well, you see, there's this girl…" Napoleon cut him off with a smile.

"The blue haired one?" he asked. When Ash gulped and nodded, Napoleon lit up.

"Dawn?! You like _Dawn_?!" Napoleon laughed and Ash shook his head in annoyance as they descended down the stairs. "Good stuff Ash! I know her from the school I just came from. I used to have a crush on her, but I guess it just wore off on me!"

Ash came back into reality. "Wait, you _know _Dawn?" Napoleon nodded.

"Why of course, didn't you see us talking on the way out? We're good friends, you know, in the way that you and Misty are friends."

Ash nodded with the hopes that he would be able to meet this girl. Ash and Napoleon made their way to the cafeteria for lunch.

* * *

At lunch, the two grabbed their food and met up with Gary and Paul, then made their way to their usual lunch table. Napoleon socialized with Paul and Gary for a bit as Ash lead the way to the table, where he saw a sight that he wished to see, but made him uncomfortable. He stopped in his tracks, and Gary bumped into his back. Gary, Paul, and Napoleon looked forward to where Ash was looking, and Napoleon laughed and made his way around the shell shocked Ash. He walked up to the table and sat across from Misty, and Dawn, which it seemed like had been newly made friends. Dawn got up to give Napoleon a small hug, a way they greeted he guessed.

"What's wrong Ash? Have a crush?" Gary laughed.

Ash shook his head and looked confident again. "No, just thought I saw something outside," he said and then walked to the table. Gary and Paul shook their heads, knowing that that was complete BS and proceeded to sit down next to Napoleon and Ash, while Gary took a seat next to Dawn. The brown haired male instantly greeted Dawn as he sat next to her.

"So are you new here?" he asked. Dawn nodded.

"Yep! I transferred here after my mom moved so here I am!" she replied. Gary nodded, while Ash tried to maintain composure. Paul couldn't help but laugh at Ash's struggles.

"Do you do anything in particular?" Gary continued.

"Yeah, I was the cheerleading captain at my previous school, but I guess I can't just become that since I'm new here I guess," she replied. Gary shook his head.

"Oh I'm sure the girls will like you. You seem like a pretty nice girl!" he complimented. Dawn blushed a little and laughed.

"Wow, ok thanks!" she laughed. Ash continued to sit quietly. Dawn then looked over to him.

"What about you? I thought I saw you in 4th period!" she asked Ash. He whipped his head up and looked at her.

"Oh…yeah! My name's Ash! I was the starting Point Guard for the Freshman basketball team last year," he responded, trying to impress her in some way. Gary, Paul, and Napoleon sat back and watched the show.

Dawn nodded. "Oh really? Do you plan to play this year?" she asked. Ash nodded.

"Well of course! I don't see any way I couldn't!" he responded. Dawn smiled.

"That's great! I'll be sure to cheer for you!" she added. Ash lit up now, Misty noticed and covered up her laugh.

"Alright, I hope to see you there!" he finished. Dawn smiled back at him. Ash was really excited now. _I'll have to look good as soon as the season starts!_ He thought.

* * *

When lunch concluded, Ash and Gary made their way to their 5th period class, English 2, quickly. The class was both not their favorites, and no one they really knew showed up, so they trudged through that class together.

* * *

When 6th period came along, it was PE, or for them, Basketball. It was their favorite class by far, and everyone was there in the gym. Gary, Paul, Ash, Napoleon, and now Drew was present, the tall, green haired boy who was their center last year. The five greeted each other and socialized on how their summer went and so on. Eventually, Barry showed up, their Small Forward from last year, at least formally. Napoleon was the new suspected starter since he showed off his great skills during the summer workouts. Sooner or later, their coach showed up, a taller man that made it obvious that he had played often when he was younger. They all greeted the coach and Napoleon had a bit of a longer conversation giving the coach a fill in for his experience and such.

Eventually, he brought out a ball and told them to play since it was the first day of school and he wanted to assess their skills. He took a seat at the sideline as the group of boys picked teams, Ash as one captain, and Barry as the other ironically. Ash picked Napoleon first, while Barry took Drew and Gary. Ash picked up Paul and their best bench player from last year, and it went on before they got 5 on 5. Varsity and JV players from last year went to the other courts and picked up their own teams.

"Shoot for takeout," Paul suggested. Ash nodded and chucked the ball up from beyond the arch and hit it no problem.

"That's why I said it," Paul chuckled as he high fived Ash. Napoleon obviously seemed impressed and nodded. Barry shook his head and checked the ball to Ash. He took off quickly and Gary stopped him and switched with Barry.

"I got Ashy-boy alright!" he said and smiled. Ash accepted the challenge and attacked. Gary was able to hold him, but his keen eyes saw that Napoleon had blistered past his defender and was inside the paint already. He flipped a one handed pass to him. Napoleon accepted the pass and jumped. Ash swore the kid flew, because his arm stretched above Drew's tall arms as he attempted to block him. Napoleon kept flying into Drew and slammed the ball into the basket one handed with extraordinary force, and hung on the rim. Drew fell back a bit in complete shock as to what happened. In fact, everyone was speechless, but that didn't last. Soon, his teammates were all over him yelling _OOOOOOOO_, and other screams. Napoleon walked to Ash and high fived for the great pass. Ash was so happy, the rumors were true! Since they played full court, Barry checked the ball out to Gary, and he took off down the court. Ash retreated and met the tall Shooting Guard. Gary flipped the ball behind him and between his legs, and then finished with a crossover, which sent Ash back and threw him off. Gary drove the ball past the defeated Ash and went for an easy layup. Suddenly, Napoleon came flying and snatched the ball out of the air and passed it back to Ash, who took off the other way, Gary speechless. Napoleon trailed behind the pack, and when Ash had no one open, he saw Napoleon trailing and flipped it to him. What he didn't expect was for Napoleon to stop a good 5 feet behind the three point line and shoot it. Everyone waived off the crazy shot and prepared to fight for a rebound, but they were all shocked when the shot drained beautifully, and perfectly.

Now they all knew Barry wouldn't start, and that record for most three pointers made for Ash probably wouldn't last. This kid was crazy.

When they completed their game, after Ash's 6 threes, Napoleon's 3rd dunk, and Paul's endless boards (rebounds), the group was exhausted. Napoleon was getting support from all around the team and compliments for his great skill and athleticism. Coach then pulled him aside and talked to him for a bit, and Gary came up to Ash.

"Wow, Napoleon is one scary player to guard I tell you!" Gary said. Ash nodded.

"It's going to be some season with him on board!" Ash said excitedly. Gary nodded. As soon as they finished, the bell rang signaling them that school was over, and the two walked out of the gym and towards home.

* * *

(Alright, so if you guys already know, I am doing another story along with this one, but since I've been reading a couple of high school stories, I've decided to whip up my own so I can do something else every once in a while. This story won't really be my main focus, but it will be updated, I promise! Please leave a review so I can get some input on the story as of now. I will try to update both stories soon, so be on the look out! Thanks for reading!)


	2. Part I: Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

During Ash's fourth period class the next day, the class was given an assignment for the class period and he and Misty worked away trying to complete it in time. As they worked on, he couldn't help but notice that Napoleon was getting up behind him, and holding a completed version of the assignment. Ash was in shock when his new teammate turned in his paper before anyone else. When he turned it in, Ash saw that Dawn fetched him for help, and he wasted no time taking the empty seat next to her. Ash cringed in jealousy at the ease of his response. Misty tapped his shoulder from behind him.

"Are you alright Ash?" she asked him. Ash turned around and nodded.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" he snapped back. Misty laughed at his sternness.

"Oh I don't know, just…wondering…," she trailed off and returned to her work. Ash shook his head and did the same.

* * *

At lunch, the boys were eating at the same table with Misty and Dawn once again. Ash was still nervous to speak to Dawn even though he had been able to talk to her yesterday. Gary was still interrogating her shockingly, and Paul stayed moderately silent. Napoleon funnily tried to cut in the lunch line and got sent to the end of the line, and the boys couldn't help but laugh at him as he approached the table.

"Ahh! Shut up! I wasn't the only one cutting, and I like how I was the _only one_ to get caught," he said angrily.

"C'mon Napoleon! Wha'd you think was going to happen?" Gary teased. Napoleon stared him down and pointed at him sternly.

"When we ball today, I'm dunking on you first!" he threatened. They both laughed.

"Ok, we'll see about that!" Gary retorted as Napoleon sat down. Dawn shook her head at him.

"Typical Napoleon, can't take a little joke!" she taunted. Napoleon nodded.

"You know it!" he answered. As the group continued eating, Napoleon got a nasty idea.

"So Ash, how'd you like me helping Dawn in Math today?" he taunted. Ash blushed instantly with confusion and fear. He had no idea what to say.

"Uh-uh-uh…w-w-what?" he stuttered "W-what are y-you talking about?"

Napoleon laughed along with the other boys, while Misty shook her head and smiled. "You know what I'm talking about!" Napoleon assured. Ash tried to hide himself in some way, but there was no way to really hide.

"Uh I didn't see it, why?" he answered. Napoleon shook his head and banged it lightly on the table a few times.

"Yeah you did! Stop giving me that bullshit!" Napoleon insisted. Ash was confused now._ Why was he doing this?_

"Nah I'm just playin' wit you Ash, its ok," he apologized. Ash shook his head and laughed. Napoleon totally got him.

"Wow, ok you got me Napoleon," Ash confessed. Paul smacked him on the back.

"Sorry if that was uncomfortable for you Dawn," Napoleon apologized. Dawn shook her head and smiled.

"It's ok! It was worth it, Ash's reaction was priceless!" she laughed. Napoleon elbowed Ash, and he knew what that meant. Ash smiled, Dawn liked something else about him!

After everyone died down, Gary continued his interrogation with Dawn.

"So, how did cheerleading go yesterday?" he asked. Dawn swallowed her food.

"Great! Everyone there was really friendly, and I was able to get a good spot on the team with my experience! I should be cheer captain in no time!" she responded. Napoleon whispered to Ash.

"Must be her good looks, know what I mean?" he suggested. Ash nodded.

"I know right?" he whispered back. Napoleon nodded.

* * *

After lunch and 5th period, it was time for basketball again, and the coach decided to pitch JV against Varsity, merging the best JV players from last year and returning Varsity together, and the best Freshman from last year and the remaining JV players. Ash, Gary, Napoleon, Paul, Drew, and Barry all played for the JV side. Ash, Gary, Napoleon, and Paul got the start from their performance yesterday, while Drew was replaced by a taller former JV player, while Barry got to ride the bench.

The tip was won by the Varsity team since their center was a towering giant and their point guard took it up the court. Ash met him and brought him to a stop outside of the perimeter. This point guard was fast and larger than him, and he really struggled to hold him. The point guard then flipped it to the player being guarded by Napoleon across from him, expecting an easy pass. Napoleon blistered out in front and stopped it easy and took off down the court. The point guard somehow got in front of him inside the other paint, but Napoleon jumped over him and dunked over the varsity player without much difficulty. The Varsity team was shocked by the kid's athleticism and speed. The dunk made their bench erupt and fired up the team. Napoleon made his way back to the other side and waited for the Varsity team to take it down the court in retaliation.

"Good shit Napoleon," Paul encouraged. Napoleon nodded and stayed focused. The team was on their side quickly. The point guard flipped it to an open player on the perimeter and he let it fly with Gary contesting. The shot was off the mark and Paul snatched the rebound using his superb hops. He then looked up court to see an open Ash as the Varsity players sprinted to the other side to defend. Ash received the pass and pushed it up court. He then pushed it up to Gary who waited behind the three point line and launched the shot as soon as he got it. It swished easily with the open shot and the Varsiy team growled in frustration as they were getting it handed to them. Ash decided to do a full court press and ended up stealing the inbound pass. He then looked behind him and saw Napoleon sprinting across and signaling him to throw it up. Ash threw up a perfect lob behind him and Napoleon completed the alley-oop easily. Now the Varsity team was reeling and coach called a timeout to stop the onslaught. The boys high fived with great enthusiasm since they were crushing a superior team easily 7-0 already and couldn't believe it. Napoleon then looked up and noticed that students…no…_girls_ were filing into the gym. He then noticed that rain had kicked up outside and the cheerleading squad must've had to come in the gym to take refuge. He couldn't resist and pointed out Dawn to Ash.

"Look Ash, your girl is here," he pointed out. Ash looked up at the crowd of girls filing into the gym and noticed the blue-haired girl he adored was making her way in as well. He lit up and knew exactly what to do.

"You know what that means!" he yelled. Napoleon nodded.

"What's going on? Are you guys ok?" Gary stepped in. Ash smiled and clenched his fist.

"As good as ever Gary, I'm going to win this for us!" he shouted. Gary took a few steps back.

"Wow, what's got in to you Ash?" Gary laughed. "Has your adrenaline taken over?"

Napoleon shook his head and pointed into the stands. Gary looked to where he pointed and realized why Ash was acting this way and laughed.

"Alright Ash, let's give it to em'!" Gary encouraged and put their hands together.

"Win on 3…1,2,3…WIN!" they shouted and took the court with their teammates.

* * *

Dawn looked on at the court when she noticed her newly made friends, Ash, Gary and Paul, along with Napoleon. She wasn't in the greatest of moods, since the rain cut out her chance to show off what she could do to become Cheer Captain hopefully. However, a good break wouldn't hurt her at all. Also, since she did slightly enjoy watching basketball, it would be nice to have _something_ going on.

She looked around and noticed that most of the girls were on their phones doing anything anyone could think of, and completely oblivious to the scrimmage going on. Her best friend on the cheer squad, May, sat next to her and overlooked what was about to go down on the court.

"Why are the JV players competing with Varsity, that's not fair," May noticed.

"I don't know, but it sure is interesting isn't it?" Dawn added. May nodded. They both watched as Ash took the ball up the court after Paul grabbed a rebound and passed it off. Dawn couldn't help but stare at Ash's forearms as they were built to a nice tone. She then watched as Ash crossed over his defender and jumped to lay up the ball. As a defender attempted to block him, he extended his right arm under the flailing arms of his defender and finger rolled the ball in and was smacked in the arm, and called for an and-one (when you are fouled and make the shot at the same time, and you get one free throw). Dawn gasped as Ash hit the ground hard and didn't get up immediately. May noticed her concern and laughed. Gary and Paul came to his side and helped him up while patting him on the head for his great effort. Dawn suddenly seemed to be at ease as he was lifted up. May decided to keep it to herself. Ash went up to the free throw line and drained the free throw no problem.

"Wow, Ash is really good!" May pointed out. Dawn was too focused to notice her comment. The opposing team rushed down the court and broke to the basket as they blistered past the JV team, only to get their layup swatted out of the air by Napoleon. Gary caught the ball and looked up court. He then threw a perfect pass to Paul, who was able to break to an open basket and dunk with one hand.

"Seems pretty fair to me May," Dawn teased. May shook her head.

"Whatever, I had no idea they were so good!" she retorted. Dawn laughed. She then whirled around when she noticed Napoleon steal the ball and then passed it to Ash behind the three point line. Ash pulled up and shot the ball beautifully and watched as it sailed into the basket without a problem. Dawn stood up and yelled Ash's name, cheering for him, only to notice every girl looking at her funnily. She slowly sat back down and apologized, only to see them laugh, since mostly every girl on the cheer squad was her friend. _Mostly_ was right, since Dawn noticed that one girl who has not been the kindest to her shaking her head. Her name was Serena, the Cheer Captain for last year and as soon as Dawn showed up into her world, she has despised her ever since. Dawn clenched her fist at the thought of her.

"Is everything…alright Dawn?" May asked. Dawn smiled at her almost as if she were bi-polar.

"Yep!" she responded. May shook her head. There then was another time out on the floor followed by an angry Varsity coach.

* * *

When the game finished up, the final score being 35-13, a complete and utter upset for the Varsity squad, Ash, Gary, Paul, and Napoleon high fived each other since they would shockingly be able to play at the Varsity level as sophomores.

"Good stuff fellas!" Paul yelled. They didn't just beat them, they _smashed_ them. The reason they even scored was because the bench came in and the Varsity team went on a 13-0 run, and the starters put a quick end to that. Barry is struggling with a depleted bench, which is sad because he was a big part of their offense last year. He will just have to deal with being the sixth man for now, or just start on the JV team while the "Fab Four" go on to Varsity.

As they heard the bell ring signaling that school had ended, they all picked up their bags and began to head out, but they were stopped by Dawn.

"Wait guys! Hey! You four looked great out there!" she called to them. Ash smiled at her presence in pure excitement. The other three couldn't help but giggle. Then, May came up behind Dawn.

"Hey guys, my name's May!" she introduced. Napoleon suddenly lost interest in what Ash was talking about with Dawn and noticed this new girl. She wore a tight red shirt and black pants, and had a waist most cheerleaders have, along with a chest he couldn't keep his eyes off of. He attempted to hide his wandering eyes and somehow succeeded since she was busy introducing herself.

"You looked amazing Ash!" Dawn complimented. Ash could barely hold in his excitement.

"Really? Thanks! Hearing that is wonderful!" Ash yelped. Gary laughed. Paul shook his head.

"You all did! I'm excited for you guys this year!" May added. Napoleon took the chance to give her another quick look before he whipped his head away. Then, Dawn raised her hand up for Ash.

"High five!" she said to Ash. Paul and Napoleon scoffed while Gary facepalmed. The group suddenly grew quiet.

"Yo…I'm out," Paul laughed and fist bumped his teammates before leaving.

"F-f-f-f-frieeeeeeend zooooone!" Gary joked as he followed him out. Ash looked at her funnily and it seemed as if his world had come down on him. Dawn laughed.

"I'm just kidding Ash, I know how that works!" she teased. Ash seemed extremely realieved and wiped the sweat off of his forehead.

"So anyway, do you want to walk with me home?" she offered, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Of course Dawn! I'd love to!" he answered, almost peeing himself. Napoleon giggled as the two love birds made their way out of the gym. Now it was just him and May.

"Well, I'm off, see you around!" she said before turning away. Napoleon waved goodbye, but something held him from walking away. Suddenly, his confident ego took over and he chased after her.

* * *

(Cliffhanger ooooooo! I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Well, Spring Break is ending for me, so I will try to get at least one chapter up this week, so look for that! Also, please leave a review, follow/fav, all that good stuff. Thanks for reading!)


	3. Part I: Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"So when did you start playing basketball?" Dawn asked as she walked along with a fidgeting Ash. He shook off most of the jitters that he could and responded.

"Well you see, I really loved watching basketball since I was a little kid, and I still do, but I decided around 4th grade that I would want to play High School ball, and hopefully college. Then, I would attempt to make it into the NBA from there," he said as confident as he could. Ash had always been bashful around girls that he liked in particular, and always struggled talking to them. He had no idea why it was so hard for him.

"Really? The NBA?" Dawn continued, snapping Ash back into reality. "That's quite a goal!"

Ash put his hand behind his head anxiously. "Yeah, but I know I can do it!" he replied and Dawn smiled at his enthusiasm. Ash decided that he should ask her a question, but since Gary asked her just about everything during lunch, it wasn't easy. Dawn beat him to the punch.

"What's your favorite team in the NBA?" she asked. Ash was moderately shocked that she wanted to keep talking about basketball.

"Well that's easy, I'm a Warriors fan! My favorite player is Stephen Curry!" he responded. Dawn chucked a bit. Ash was confused.

"Don't tell Napoleon that!" she laughed. "He's a Clippers fan, and he does not _shut up_ about how much he hates the Warriors!"

Ash laughed, Napoleon was a _Clippers_ fan? He personally didn't like the Clippers, but since the Warriors have been better as of late, it hasn't bothered him.

"He basically unloads his rage or joy of the NBA on me every day. You know like, 'Steph Curry is overrated', or 'The Clippers destroyed the Lakers again', and such." Dawn sighed. Ash was going to have a talk with Napoleon over this and straighten him up, or at least try.

"Anyway, do like to listen to music?" Dawn asked him. Ash smiled.

"I was going to ask you the same question! Yes of course, I like Rock/Alternative, but I mostly listen to Rap when it comes to basketball and such." He replied.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I don't really like Rap to be honest with you, it doesn't really sound like music to me." Ash nodded.

"Well then, what's your favorite kind?" he asked. Dawn thought for a moment as they stopped at a crosswalk.

"I don't really know to be honest, I like _mostly_ all kinds of music!" she replied. Ash laughed as they crossed the street onto the sidewalk. The two walked along for a bit before Ash broke the silence again.

"Do you have your license yet?" he asked her. Dawn scoffed.

"Oh no. I didn't even get my permit yet," she replied.

"Oh, well I take my test in November for my permit, and I plan to get my license in May," Ash added. Dawn smiled.

"Oh really! That's great Ash!" she encouraged. "You should take me for a ride sometime!" Dawn then winked at him, and it made Ash blush.

"Uh…sure Dawn!" he stuttered. Dawn laughed. She knew full well that Ash had a crush on her, and she loved to make him nervous.

Before long, they came across Dawn's house, and she stopped in front of it.

"Well, this is my place," she said. Ash nodded

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow then!" he assured. Dawn nodded and then waved goodbye as she entered her house. Ash dropped his arm and sighed. He then excitedly jogged down the street to his house, feeling amazing for what he had just accomplished.

* * *

"You TALKED to ASH?!" one of Dawn's cheerleading friends, Leaf, asked her the next day before school. Dawn nodded and then looked up in the sky dreamy-eyed.

"Yes! He's so amazing! He totally likes me…I know it!" she boasted. Leaf was bewildered.

"Wow, you're so lucky!" Leaf complimented. "I _wish _I was you right now…"

Dawn shook her head. "Oh Leaf, thank you!" Dawn couldn't believe it. She had no idea that Ash was the "hottie" on the campus and she had no issues speaking to the kid. She laughed in her head at the pure genius of her and ability to accomplish what she had.

"Don't get your hopes up," a familiar and resenting voice sounded behind Dawn. She whirled around to notice that Serena had showed up behind her. Dawn scoffed and crossed her arms.

"And why is that?" she asked sternly. Serena shook her head. Dawn was seething with anger inside, but she was able to not show a bit of it on the outside. She _hated_ Serena. Her attitude was less than acceptable and she just simply hated Dawn from the very beginning. It was incredibly annoying to see her face anywhere to Dawn.

"Isn't it obvious, I'm going to be the one to win Ash's heart, and you will stay out of my way you bitch!" she shouted. Insulted, Dawn spat back.

"The only heart you'll ever win is a pig's!" she retorted. The two girls then stared each other down, extremely bitter towards each other. Leaf interjected in the middle.

"Oh come on! Can't we solve this some other way?!" she cried. Dawn and Serena turned their eyes towards Leaf, still retaining hostile faces.

"What do you have in mind?" Serena growled. Leaf jumped at her hostility but retained her composure. The last thing they needed was two suspended cheer captain candidates.

"Why don't you both stay out of each other's way?! Give each other a chance and may the best girl win, simple as that," she suggested. Dawn and Serena met gazes again for a bit, and then looked back at Leaf. They nodded and lost their hostile poses. The two then stared each other down, the stalemate broken by Serena's laugh.

"Well good luck, you'll need it!" she sang and then walked off. Dawn clenched her fist.

"Bitch," she cursed.

* * *

"Why did you talk to May?" Ash asked. Paul, Gary, Ash and Napoleon waited by the steps to the second level of the school for the bell to ring. The four had arrived a bit early and were discussing their after school ventures.

Napoleon facepalmed. "You know what Ash? I wish I had a legit answer for your question. I just thought she was pretty attractive, but as I started talking to her, I realized that I really didn't like her all that much as depressing as that sounds. So long story short, I just became friends with her," he explained. Gary couldn't help teasing him for being in the Friend Zone, which Napoleon shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of friend zone, how did it go for you Ash?" Gary asked.

"Great! She seemed to like me alright," he replied. "She asked most of the questions, so I'm assuming that she at least likes me a little bit."

Paul laughed. "You know what assuming does right?" Ash raised his eyebrow. "It makes an ass out of you and me."

Napoleon and Gary laughed at Paul's joke while Ash rolled his eyes. His friends were always there to support him in every way they could. What? I'm being sarcastic? Well, yeah.

* * *

August through November went by fast and slow in some cases for the group. Ash, Gary, Napoleon, and Paul all made the Varsity team and secured a starting spot as Sophomores, and great ones at that. The season officially started the second day of December, and they were more than excited to get started. Napoleon and Ash fought on and on about the Clippers-Warriors rivalry, but since the Warriors were doing better that season, Ash constantly had a leg-up in the arguments. Dawn and Serena still battled for Ash, Dawn currently having her way with him, to Serena's annoyance.

Ash sat in the locker room tying his shoes. It was game time, their first game against the Saffron High Rockets, one of the powerhouses in the region. For reference (because I as the AUTHOR forgot to mention), Ash went to Kanto High School, home of the Warriors, to Napoleon's further annoyance. Their uniforms were a maroon red with white numbers and a blue stripe going down their sides. Ash preferred to wear an undershirt with an arm sleeve on his left. He then looked to see that Gary went with an undershirt as well, but went without the arm sleeves and went for some leg sleeves with padded shin guards. Paul went for the least accessories, no undershirt, but wore googles due to multiple eye pokes as he works down low. Ash, Paul and Gary all looked at Napoleon as he popped out of the stall and were shocked. He wore an undershirt, arm sleeves on both arms, wrist braces, leg sleeves, and a headband to top it all off.

"What?" he asked the staring admirers. "Do I have something on my face?" The three shook their heads. Gary stepped in.

"No, you just look as bad as LeBron's hairline!" (LOL) Gary teased and the others busted out laughing. Napoleon shook his head.

"We should call you Mr. Accessory from now on!" Ash added to the laughter. Napoleon just gave him a blank stare.

"Yo Ash I though we was friends," Napoleon asked him calmly giving him a blank stare. Ash laughed and put his arm around Napoleon.

"Of course we're friends! We're just messing with you!" Ash assured. Napoleon shook his head and laughed along with the others as they walked out of the locker room.

* * *

(I apologize for being out for a while. I got busy last week, and then NBA playoffs came around, so I'm thinking about that mainly right now. Also, I have my AP exam coming in May, so I'll be taking some leave soon to prepare for that. Don't worry! It won't be too long I promise! Speaking of the NBA, since my Clippers made the playoffs, I will spend nights I would usually use to write to watch the games, so chapter production might come down a bit! Anyway, I'll see you guys next chapter!)


	4. Part I: Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The door vibrated from the intensity inside of the gym. Ash, Gary, Paul, and Napoleon stood at the front of the group of players preparing to enter the buzzing arena. The JV team looked to be having a close and competitive game, but it looked as if they were going to pull away. Then, without notice, the crowd gave out a disgusted yell and then fell silent from inside the gym.

"Damn, you know what that means fellas," Gary broke the silence. They all knew full well what happened inside the gym, and it wasn't good.

"They hit a game winner on the JV team," Ash clenched his fist. It was too bad. Saffron High was just too much for them at the end. However, it only meant one thing: they had to get them back on the Varsity side. Suddenly, their coach came running after them.

"Guys! I just received word that the game will be televised!" he yelled. The four whirled around with shocked faces. They couldn't believe it. They were going to be on TV. Ash raised his fist in the air and the team followed.

"Alright boys, it's time to show the WORLD what we can do!" he shouted, firing up his teammates.

"Warriors on 3…1,2,3…"

* * *

The ESPN logo flashed on the screen and then revealed the high school arena. A large, red W occupied the center of the court, while it was lined with blue on the sides. The gym was packed with supporters and scouts due to the sudden TV deal. The announcer then spoke.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to High School Basketball on ESPN! I'm your host Robert Dewford, and we have a good one! It's the Saffron Rockets versus the Kanto Warriors!" Dewford finished as the players then took the court. He then turned to his co-announcer.

"I'm here with Lance Dragoon, and Lance, tell me, do you think the Warriors have a chance in this?" the orange haired co-announcer nodded.

"Yeah, with their new batch of starters, I think they could beat this powerhouse in the Rockets. The only concern however is that 4 of their 5 starters are sophomores, something you really just don't see!" Dewford nodded. The teams were doing layups and getting warmed up.

"Speaking of starting lineups, we have them here!" Dewford added. 10 panels flew onto the screen and showed the faces of all starters in the game.

"For the Warriors, it's Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak at the guard spots, along with Napoleon Black and Paul Senji at the forwards, finally with Bill Hundley at the center position."

Napoleon and Gary took the two sides of the half court line, while Ash and Paul stayed back from the circle. Bill awaited the tip off next to a slightly taller center. Ash then spotted Napoleon flashing his eyes towards the basket, and he knew what that meant. The referee tipped off the ball.

"And Hundley wins the tip!" Dewford stated. Ash snatched the ball as it flew back and then catapulted it forward. The Rockets looked behind them and saw that Napoleon was already breaking for the basket. The pass connected perfectly and Napoleon jumped. He executed a perfect windmill dunk.

"Wow! What a play! Napoleon Black breaks for the basket and dunks for the first bucket before the Rockets even had time to think!" Dewford finished, Lance being speechless.

"Just look at the athleticism of this young player. Amazing." Lance commented as the replay played back what had happened. Napoleon pointed at Ash for his brilliant pass over the defense. The Warriors reset on the other end and prepared for the coming defense. Their center was huge, but Hundley matched his size almost exactly, so they weren't worried. Everyone else was slightly larger than them since they were most likely seniors. Their point guard drove the ball up past half court and attacked. Ash met him at the top of the key, but blew past him. He jumped for the layup as Hundley was boxed out by their own center. Napoleon came flying out of the sky and swatted the weak floater before it could make it into the basket.

"Blocked by Black!" Dewford shouted. "And here comes Senji with the rebound!" Paul grabbed the rebound and gave a baseball pass to Ash far ahead. Ash was stopped by a player, but he kept driving. He then looked behind him and spotted a familiar fellow. He then faked a eurostep and then bounced the ball off of the glass into a flying Napoleon where he flushed it down with two hands. The crowd erupted and the whistle sounded. Napoleon then looked towards the crowd and pounded his chest, screaming for them to "get hyped". Ash joined in by signaling the crowd to get louder.

"Time out Rockets! Napoleon Black and Ash Ketchum are setting up the clinic on how to share the basketball!" Dewford announced as highlights played of Napoleon's two dunks before the commercial break.

* * *

Dawn and the cheer squad rose to their feet as soon as Napoleon's dunk hit home. Pom-poms filled the area with their sound as they shook them. They chanted and cheered for the boys as they went off to a 4-0 start in literally 20 seconds.

"Let's go boys!" she cheered on her friends over all of the other girls. The crowd around them was buzzing, giving off a deafening roar. Dawn was so happy for Ash. He was able to get off to a great start, and she loved it. As soon as he signaled for the crowd to get louder, she cried:

"Good job Ash! I love you!" she shouted, only to cover her mouth as she said it. Lucky for her, he couldn't hear her, but her friend next to her, Leaf, heard it loud and clear.

"Wow Dawn! That's amazing!" she commented as Dawn blushed from her rushed blurt. They simply laughed it off and continued to cheer on Ash.

* * *

The Warriors and Rockets took the floor again as soon as the timeout ended. The Rockets took the ball across half court. Once again, Ash was beaten again, but the point guard dished it out to Napoleon's man as he came to help Ash. His defender hit the three-pointer no problem. Ash shook his head knowing that that was his fault, and called for the ball. Paul passed it back in to him and he drove up the court. Determined to get his defender back, he took it into his chest, only to get it poked out. The Rockets then picked it up and converted the open layup on the other end.

"And just like that, the Rockets take the lead!" Dewford commented.

"Ketchum is losing his focus. He needs to figure it out, or Saffron is going to trounce them." Lance added. Napoleon ran up to Ash.

"Hey, it's OK! Don't stress it, just do what you do!" he encouraged, getting a nod from Ash. Ash then received the ball and took it up the court. He then spotted Gary in the corner and threw a pass to him, only to overthrow it and out of bounds. Ash shook his head. Something was wrong. He's never struggled this badly in a game in a long time.

"And Ketchum just throws it out of bounds!" Dewford said, puzzled.

"Just a major, unforced error on his part, again, Ash is struggling here." Lance continued. The coach realized this and called him in for a sub, being replaced by a senior from last years' varsity squad. Ash flopped on the bench and put his hands over his face and shook his head. He couldn't believe the trouble he was having.

Dawn looked worriedly at Ash. "Oh…Ash," she whispered to herself.

* * *

"And that wraps up the first quarter of play here in Kanto High School. A dominant show for the Rockets so far, they lead 22-8," Dewford finished before the commercial break hit. Napoleon, Gary, and Paul flopped onto the bench in exhaustion. Ash shook his head since he had sat out the rest of the first quarter.

"I'm sorry guys, I had no idea what went wrong out there," Ash apologized. Gary shook his head.

"It's alright Ash, but you can see that we don't stand a chance without you," he encouraged. Ash nodded.

"Their perimeter defense isn't very good I've noticed. I think we're doing the wrong thing trying to drive," Paul analyzed. Napoleon nodded.

"I've noticed that too. I don't usually struggle this much getting baskets down low. That center knows what he's doing," Napoleon commented as he chugged some water. As the buzzer sounded the start of the 2nd quarter, they were shocked to realize that they were all out of the rotation this time, and the bench full of juniors and seniors were to take the floor. Napoleon shook his head.

"I don't know what coach is thinking. Taking it down low is not the way to go!" Napoleon said, frustrated.

* * *

"Unshockingly, the score hasn't got any better. The Rockets lead big, 50-17, at half time," Dewford somberly announced. The Warriors' starters didn't see any floor in that quarter.

"I'd like to know what's going through that coach's head. Obviously, power isn't working for them, and they're getting lit up from beyond the arc," Lance added.

Ash, Gary, Napoleon, and Paul frustratingly made their way into the locker room.

Dawn sat in the stands, feeling sorry for Ash and his friends. Leaf came to her side and patted her on the back.

"Maybe next time, Dawn! There are always more games!" she encouraged. Dawn popped her head up.

"Yeah, I guess so," Dawn somberly replied and picked herself up. She then made her way to the restroom after the long half for her. She then looked back when she blurted out "I love you" to Ash. Was she really falling for him? She couldn't believe it. She was convinced they were only friends for now, not quite _more_ than friends…or were they?

She shook herself out of it as Serena walked by. The two didn't utter a word to each other, to her shock. Dawn didn't mind that she stayed quiet for once and kept on towards the restroom.

After she finished and made her way out of the stall, she came up to the sink. She couldn't help but stare at herself in the mirror. She was still getting used to the whole "being in love thing". It seemed nice before it started, but once she was in it, the feeling was more uncomfortable than anything else. She then realized that her hair was a bit off to her, and it bugged her. She undid her clips and let her hair down. She did her best to straighten it out and remove any stray tangles that came up at random. She then shook her head in annoyance and grumbled. She couldn't take the stress. Being cheer captain and discovering that she had a crush on Ash didn't help her at all. She then took one last look at herself. She was stronger than this. She wouldn't cower away from this moment. It was going to work, and she would make it last.

The best she could, she put her hair back together and made her way out of the restroom, and heard a surprisingly jovial crowd inside the main gym.

* * *

"Hello everyone, and welcome back to High School Basketball on ESPN! The Rockets are running away with this one, the score being 50-17. The second half is about to be under way!" Dewford chimed in. He then turned to his partner, Lance, as the players warmed up for the second half. "Tell me Lance, what could possibly bring the Warriors back into this game?"

Lance shook his head and sighed. "Well, a lot has to go right for them to even have a chance at any sort of comeback. They need more action on the perimeter and drop more threes, as well as prevent them on the other end. I say they need to cut the lead to at least 15, and then we'll have a ball game."

Dewford nodded. "Well everyone, you heard the man. The Warriors will have to outscore the Rockets by 18 points in this quarter to have a chance at this game!"

Ash, Napoleon, Paul, Gary, and Bill Hundley made their way on the defensive end since they won the tip in the 1st quarter. They huddled together to say a few words.

"Alright boys, I know I struggled to get it going last half, but we need to give this crowd a show, so let's do it!" Ash encouraged and got a roar of agreement from his teammates. They then dispersed and prepared for the onslaught. The point guard took the ball past half court and instantly flipped it to a player on the perimeter. This shooter tore them up last half, but Gary was ready this time. He jumped out in front and stole the ball. He then looked towards a sprinting Napoleon and chucked it to him. He grabbed it out of the sky and was met with contention. He then drove, but faked his layup and passed to Ash who had a wide open one and put it in. Paul clapped from the defensive end to show that times were changing for them. The lackluster Rockets suddenly threw a bad inbounds pass that Napoleon intercepted and then one hand passed it to a trailing Ash who pulled up for the three and sank it no problem. The crowd then suddenly showed signs of life and got a bit riled up. The reeling Rockets then got another pass intercepted by the athletic Napoleon, who drove and then spun his arms on the baseline to an open Ash at the corner, who put in another three. The ref blew his whistle for a timeout. The gym suddenly came back to life and was fired up once again.

"Wow! And the Warriors open up the 3rd quarter on an 8-0 run! It's 50-25 with those buckets right there!" Dewford announced.

Lance shook his head. "The Rockets need to stay focused and keep playing as if they were down. The Warriors look hungry right now!"

They stayed on the floor for the 30 second timeout and nodded.

"That's some good stuff fellas!" Gary commented. "Keep it up and we might just win this!" They all cheered in agreement and retook the floor. Ash then looked back at the cheerleading squad and noticed Dawn in the bunch. She smiled and waved at him.

"Good job Ash, keep it up!" she shouted. He nodded and gave her thumbs up. Ash then returned his focus to the game. Something about seeing Dawn like that to him ignited an amazing feeling inside of him. A feeling he couldn't let go.

The Rockets were a bit smarter this time and didn't give the ball up again. The point guard took it up the court where Ash was able to stop him this time. He picked up his dribble and pivoted around to find the open man. Ash gave him as much trouble as possible before he completed a pass to a wide open shooter off of a screen. He pulled up for the jumper at the wing, but Napoleon swatted it into the crowd. The gym erupted. Everyone was on their feet.

"Napoleon Black! With the emphatic rejection, and this crowd is on their feet!" shouted Dewford.

Napoleon was screaming at the top of his lungs and flexing every muscle in his body due to the intense adrenaline. Ash jumped to him and they pounded shoulders. Paul and Gary raised their hands up to get the crowd hyped for the coming quarter. They were still down by 25, but the tide seemed to be in their favor. The Rockets passed the ball back in, and the crowd roared "D-FENSE", the loudest they had ever been in the history of the school. The Rockets seemed rattled and struggled to get a play going. They ended up taking a bad shot and took the shot clock violation, further igniting the crowd.

Paul quickly passed the ball into Ash and he wasted no time taking it up the court. Bill quickly set a screen for him and he drove right, but pulled up behind the three point line. The ball sank in perfectly.

"Boom! And that's Ketchum's 3rd straight three ball!" Dewford noted. Ash was single-handedly controlling this game, igniting his team to an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 22 and make it a ball game. The Rockets then turned up the intensity by driving straight for the basket. Bill and Paul did good work on defense and once again forced a shot clock violation. Ash once again, with the screen from Paul, was able to put the three up and sink it without a problem. It had almost become automatic for him at this point.

"Ash Ketchum, with his 4th straight three pointer to bring them within 19!" Dewford announced

"I can't believe what I'm seeing. This is a whole new Ash from the first half, and he is just lighting them up right now," Lance added.

Stop after stop, basket after basket, the Warriors climbed back into the game when the 3rd quarter buzzer sounded.

"And that will conclude the 3rd quarter! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a ballgame! With a 20-0 run, the Warriors have come within 13 of the Rockets! Don't go anywhere!"

The commercial break came along, and the teams assembled at their benches. The score was 50-37, the Warriors keeping the Rockets from getting a single basket in the 3rd quarter. Ash was feeling it, and his teammates were playing shut down defense to keep their comeback alive. The starters huddled together.

"Alright boys, Ash is going to be our main shooter, but since he can't miss, the double team will start coming, so we need someone to step up in case he gets into trouble, alright?" Gary announced. The boys nodded in agreement. "We'll find out who it is once it happens!"

The five starters did their chant and then assembled to inbound the ball. Down 13, the time had come to rise from the ashes.

* * *

"Welcome back everyone, and we have a great game in store! If you're just tuning in, it is mainly because of this man right here," Dewford announced as a graphic of Ash took over the screen. "Ash Ketchum has brought this team back into the game! He has 18 points and hasn't looked back since that rough start!"

"Yeah, and if you'll notice that he is 6-6 from beyond the arc, lighting up this powerhouse of a team," Lance contributed.

Ash received the inbound ball and then looked around the stadium almost in slow motion. He noticed all of the fans off their feet and ready for a great finish. Then, he noticed Dawn. She looked a bit nervous, but not calm in the slightest. She was on her feet and was cheering him on more than anyone else in the gym. He then looked back at the basket and prepared himself. Time seemed to speed back up again and he took off down the court. The double instantly came to him, and he noticed Gary breaking for a layup, so he overhead passed it to him. Like something out of the Clippers playbook, Gary jump-stopped and lobbed the ball to the corner of the basket. Napoleon catapulted over the defenders and slammed it home, cutting the lead to 11.

"No, no, no, no! He did NOT just do that! Oh…my…GOODness was that _amazing_!" Dewford shouted, almost dancing in his chair. The crowd only got louder. The Rockets came out desperately to get a basket, but Napoleon intercepted a pass to the wing that he slammed on a fastbreak, and was fouled from behind out of frustration.

"And just like that, the Warriors have cut it to single digits and can go for the three-point play!" Dewford cried, and Napoleon lined up for the free-throw. He drained it without any issues and back pedaled to defend. The Rockets once again failed to penetrate the tough defense in the paint, and Bill grabbed the defensive rebound. He then baseball passed it to an open Napoleon down the floor who broke for the basket. He then noticed Ash making his way to the corner, and he dished off a sweet underhand pass straight to Ash. With no one around, Ash put in the three without any issues, and cut the lead to 5.

"Ash Ketchum has hit his 7th consecutive three pointer, and put the Warriors within 5!" Dewford shouted excitedly. "It's 50-45!"

"The Rockets haven't made a bucket since the 1st half, and I don't think that's ever happened before!" Lance inquired. With vile desperation, the point guard put up a three pointer in front of a contesting Ash, which was off the mark and Napoleon grabbed the board. He then blistered past everyone and stopped at the wing, then pulled up for the three, sinking it easy.

"Ba-a-m! Napoleon cuts the lead to 2!" Dewford couldn't help but get hyped himself at what he was witnessing. The crowd roared now that the game was within reach, and Napoleon let out another roar. The Rockets, beyond desperate, threw a baseball pass down the court that was once again intercepted by Napoleon. He then blistered by every defender going after him. He took the team on his back and rushed past halfcourt. He checked the clock and saw that 59.3 seconds were flying down. He then looked to the basket and noticed two defenders running towards him, behind the free throw line. He was going to try something amazing. Taking two long strides, Napoleon leaped with one foot from the free throw line. He soared over the first defender, and then prepared for the second, their center. Napoleon stretched his arm out and flushed it in between his outstretched arms and grabbed onto the rim to stop his momentum. There was 50 seconds left on the clock, and the game was tied at 50.

"Napoleon Black….just executed a perfect free-throw line dunk over two defenders to tie the game…wow," Dewford was at a loss for words, and couldn't stay excited over what he had just done. Napoleon's teammates jumped all over him for what he had done. Timeout called by the Rockets didn't stop the undying roar of the crowd.

* * *

The timeout concluded, 50 seconds left, tie game. Rockets with the ball. They checked it in, and the point guard forced it up the court. "D-FENSE" cheers filled the building as the final seconds ticked away. Ash was screened, but unexpectedly, he cut back away from the screen and flushed it to an open man. The shot clock winded down, and he let go of the mid-ranged jumped, contested of course, and drained it. 52-50, Paul inbounded the ball to Ash with 15 seconds left on the clock. He passed it to Napoleon, who did a few dribbles, but was instantly double teamed. 6 seconds remained. Napoleon one handed the ball and passed it to Ash. Without a choice, Ash executed a step back move and let the three fly. Time slowed down. Everyone watched as the ball sailed through the air, perfect back spin, the lights on the hoop flared up signaling that time had expired. The ball kept sailing…and swished through the net.

The gym erupted, and the fans flooded the court.

"It's over! Ash Ketchum has hit the game-winning shot to propel the Warriors to an astounding and improbable 53-52 victory over the Rockets! What a game!" Dewford shouted.

Ash was mauled by fans and got countless hugs from all over. He then freed himself to look for Dawn. After fighting through the crowd, he found the blue-haired cheerleader. She sprinted to him at the very sight of him and jumped into his arms. Ash was at first shocked by this, but wasted no time embracing her.

"Ash! You did it! You did it! You're so amazing, really!" Dawn complimented. Ash smiled.

"I know, I can't believe it!" he replied, and put her down. Dawn then looked into his eyes and realized that all of her speculations were true. She had fallen for Ash, and she knew it more than ever now. He smiled at her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, laughing.

"Does this answer your question?" Dawn then grabbed Ash by the jersey and pressed her lips against his. Ash responded by embracing her tightly, and kissed her back. While the two stayed together, Napoleon was lifted by fans in the background up in the air where he raised both hands up and let out an amazing cheer.

* * *

(Well, that's that for now. This isn't quite the end, but pretty close! Probably one more chapter after this to wrap it up. I'll be busy over the weekend, so no chapters until next week after my AP test! See you then!)


	5. Part I: Chapter 5

**Hello everyone thanks for sticking with me! I am finished with my AP leave, and back!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

The season for the gang went amazingly for them. Their improbable victory over the Saffron Rockets gave them the confidence they needed to pull out the rest of the season, going 7-1 before league play began, losing to Napoleon's old team, the Sinnoh Flames. When league began, they lit it up, going 5-0 in the first half, easily waltzing through teams, like their rival, the Viridian Hornets, although they fought hard to do it. The second half seemed a bit more difficult, but they were able to pull out a come from behind win against the Hornets in their rematch, going 10-0, and winning league for the first time in a decade for the school. They made the playoffs with a 17-1 overall record, but lost in the first round to a much more prepared Saffron Rockets team, 66-49, not allowing the Warriors to come back once again.

Paul smacked his fist against the locker next to him. It stung, but he could care less. Losing to a team that they had beaten before infuriated him more than ever. The rest of his team made their way to the concrete blocks and sat down in frustration.

"17-1, and we didn't even stand a chance," Gary shook his head. Ash looked up and couldn't help but feel sorry for his team. He decided on the wrong day to have a bad game, only putting up 4 points, when he averaged 18.4 during the season. The Rockets were just too much. Napoleon seemed like he was about to blow, but he kept his cool somehow. He did _not _have an off day, dropping 27 points, and averaged 22.7, the highest in the country. He seemed like a nuclear bomb that somehow failed to explode, but only just. Gary just looked depressed, only able to get 7 points, while Paul picked up 8.

"All that work, and nothing!" Paul finally snapped. "Why do we just get wasted like this?!"

Ash tried to calm him down. "It just wasn't our night."

Big mistake.

"What?! No Ash, it wasn't _your_ night! If you were able to hit a few more shots than you did, we would've pulled that one out!" Paul shouted. He then looked Ash dead in the eye. Gary and Napoleon looked on in wonder. It was never good when Paul got this angry.

"I know what it is! It's _Dawn_ isn't it?!" he accused. Napoleon clenched his fist.

Ash stood up faster than a rocket launch. "How dare you accuse her! She has nothing to do with this!"

Paul shook his head. "Then why did you miss those practices leading up to this game?! And what about your effort in the ones that you _did _show up for huh?! What were you and Dawn doing?!"

Ash was beyond infuriated. "That's none of your business!"

Paul nodded. "See?! Of course?! You were spending time with Dawn instead of focusing on the task at hand weren't you?! Is this all a game to you?! You're so pathetic!"

Ash clenched his fist. "Why you motherfu-."

"ENOUGH!" Napoleon shouted. The room fell silent, and Gary watched on, his head down. Paul and Ash turned towards him.

"Seriously?! Is this how we act after a tough loss?! Fighting, accusing, excuses! All of them are pathetic excuses!" Napoleon paused for a second and continued. "Paul, you have _no_ right to blame Ash for the game. He has a life, and the right to enjoy it. The nerve of you to bring Dawn into this! However, Paul has an excellent point! Where were you during those practices?!" He challenged. Ash shook his head. After thinking for a while, he plastered himself on the concrete block. Small tears began to well up in his eyes, but he wiped them away quickly.

"Ok, you're right. I _did_ spend time with Dawn instead of practicing," he admitted. Paul at least had respect for that. "I didn't think about what the consequences would be if I did ditch practice, and that's my fault. But please, it's not Dawn's fault, it's mine, leave her out of this."

Paul shook his head. He knew he messed up. He knew that he went over his head and spoke out of reflex, and he felt bad. "I'm sorry Ash, I shouldn't have accused you of this. After all, it really is just a game."

Gary seemed content with that answer. "I agree, now can we get changed and go home? We can't dwell on this forever can we?" Everyone nodded and then turned to their lockers, getting changed and ready to head home.

* * *

The next day for Ash wasn't any better unfortunately for him. Even after they made up, Ash was still hung up on what Paul had said to him. Was he really spending too much time with Dawn? Should he have worked a bit harder, and maybe the result would've been a bit different for his team. The guilt weighed in on him like a rock and sat in his mind throughout the day. He did the unthinkable, avoiding Dawn and just really trying not to talk to anyone.

Going the whole day without seeing her "boyfriend", Dawn was ticked off at the fact. She couldn't help but be angry with him for being so evasive to her, finding it quite rude in fact. However, she did realize what he was going through, and had that small idea in her mind, however outweighed by her annoyance.

As the 6th period bell sounded for her, she took off slowly down the steps to the open area and decided to head to the library since she didn't have anywhere else to go. She opened the door and made her way into the large area full of bookshelves and tables where people hung out after school. To her luck, she noticed Napoleon sitting alone and working away at some homework. She took the seat in front of him, expecting him to notice her. However, Napoleon's earphones blasted away in his ears, keeping him from noticing her. A bit annoyed, she tapped on his head, almost slapping him, to get his attention. She watched as just his eyes panned up as his pencil stopped moving. Realizing who it was, Napoleon pulled out his earphones and stopped the music.

"Oh, hey Dawn, what's up?" he asked. Dawn looked up at him. She never did really realize how built he really was, and it shocked her that no girl begged to go out with him. He seemed pretty attractive, but nothing like Ash of course, although Napoleon's arms did put Ash's to shame.

"Dawn?" he asked again. She realized what she was doing and returned to the real world. She laughed.

"Sorry Napoleon," she apologized, getting a slight nod. "Anyways, I was just wondering if there was anything wrong with Ash."

Napoleon nodded and seemed to get a bit sidetracked, which was not a good sign for her. "Um…yeah, well that game didn't exactly go as planned," he said. Napoleon flashed a look at Dawn. It was no wonder Ash liked her so much. He couldn't help but notice her slender frame, and he meant _slender_. Her face rivaled any girl he's really ever seen, and he didn't want to get started on her chest, not too big…Napoleon stopped himself there. Besides, she was Ash's girlfriend, and violating bro code was not something he was about to do.

Dawn seemed concerned that Napoleon suddenly stopped talking, so he broke their stare down before she asked why. "Well, to make a long story short, Paul said something that…broke him…concerning you at least."

Dawn looked bewildered. "What do you mean, _concerning me_?" She was shocked and full of wonder as to what he meant. Was she the reason why Ash was this way? That made her angry, and she stood up. "What?! Is this my fault in some way?"

Napoleon raised his hand. "Please Dawn, just listen,"

Dawn looked around, but Napoleon's calm demeanor actually convinced her to sit back down. She looked him in the eye. "Napoleon, just tell me what happened, I won't be offended, I promise."

Napoleon nodded. "Alright, here goes. Paul was concerned with Ash's performance," he paused. Dawn was annoyed, but realized his sincerity and concern for her feelings at the moment. He then took a deep breath. "He told Ash that he was spending too much time with you, and needed to focus more on basketball."

Dawn gulped, and turned away for a second. She felt like she was nothing. The idea that Ash had actually listened to Paul's absurd advice tore her apart. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn't bear to look at anyone, even Napoleon. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over to see Napoleon.

"Dawn, listen to me, I don't think Ash really feels that way," he calmly tried to soothe her, seemingly to no avail. "I think he just needs more time."

She couldn't listen anymore, and she began to walk out of the Library, even with Napoleon's protests. She barreled out through the doors and let out a wail of pure sadness. She stumbled a bit and found a bench in the shade to fall to. Napoleon came through the doors with purpose and took her side.

"Dawn! Come on, you can't take this too seriously!" he pleaded. Dawn just kept sobbing. Napoleon wasn't her boyfriend, but it still ate him alive seeing her like this. He was her best friend since as long as he could remember, and he wasn't going to allow her to be this way. He put his arms around her, and she seemingly collapsed into him. He couldn't bear it any further, and he looked into her eyes.

"Dawn, look at me!" he tried to get to her. Miraculously, she actually turned to him. "Listen, you are a beautiful woman. Ash is _very _lucky to have you, and I don't know why he actually took Paul's comment seriously, but he doesn't feel that way, I know it!"

Dawn wiped her tears away, and looked into Napoleon's eyes. It brought her some sort of contention, and confidence seemed to work its way into her. She then smiled.

"You always knew how to push my buttons didn't you?" she teased. Napoleon shook his head and hugged his friend. It was great to see her confident again.

When they let go, Dawn sighed. "Thanks Napoleon…for everything."

He nodded. "Anytime for a friend," He then looked forward to the road ahead of him and wrapped his right arm around her shoulder. "Now, you should give him a call, and get right with him as soon as you can, got it?"

Dawn looked up at her tall friend and nodded. "Of course! I'll see you around!" She then took off down the path towards Ash's house and her distraught boyfriend.

* * *

The pathway to Ash's house seemed longer in Dawn's mind. She suddenly got worried at the thought of seeing him. The idea that he wouldn't mind her convinced her to make the journey to his house slowly but surely. When she finally reached the doorstep of his house, she raised her fist to knock, but she paused. Regretting her decision for a second, but she returned her gaze forward and nodded. The knock seemed to resonate throughout her body almost. She heard the footsteps of someone inside, and she cringed at the anticipation. To her luck, it was Ash's mom who opened the door for her. She looked confused, but lit up at the sight of Dawn.

"Oh Dawn! It's good to see you!" she greeted, causing Dawn to blush a bit. "What brings you here?"

Dawn paused for a bit, but tried to not keep her waiting. "Oh, well, I was just here to check on Ash. Can I come in?" Ash's mom nodded and allowed her to enter the house. Dawn looked around and didn't see Ash yet. She assumed Ash was in his room.

"Ash seemed a bit down today, and he won't really talk to anyone. He's up in his room," she informed her. Dawn nodded and then ascended the stairs. She noticed the only closed door and made her way towards it. Waiting a second before she committed, she then knocked on the door. She heard a weak groan.

"What?" Ash said weakly. Dawn cringed at his sadness and her heart broke slowly. She decided the open the door herself. As she turned the knob, she peeked in and noticed Ash lying on his bed turned towards the wall to his left. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she spoke.

"Ash?" she asked. Ash seemed to slowly turn at the sound of her voice. His eyes opened wide. He sat up in his bed at the sight of her. The beautiful girl he fell for had come to him.

"Dawn? What are you doing here?" he asked. Dawn looked down at her hands for a second and thought of what to say to him.

"Umm…I was just wondering why you looked so down lately," she asked him. Ash looked down at the ground. Dawn cocked her head and had the look of great worry for her boyfriend. Without hesitation, she took his side on his bed. Ash sighed.

"It's a long story. It's just that I may have spent too much time with you and costed my team their chance at the title," Ash admitted. Dawn looked down. She didn't know what to say. "I just feel like I could've done better."

Dawn shook her head. "Like, if I'm the reason why you didn't win?"

Ash's head whirled around. "Of course not Dawn! I would never blame you for anything!" He was truly sincere with her, and she could tell. "Basketball and you are two separate things, and you are _far_ more important!"

Dawn shook her head. "No Ash."

Ash thought to himself, _Now I've done it_.

"It shouldn't be up to me, and you should choose what you want to do," Dawn approved. Ash turned to her. The two looked straight into each other's eyes. Slowly but surely, Ash placed his hands on Dawn's delicate face and kissed her passionately. Dawn responded by pressing her entire weight onto him, and he didn't resist falling back into his bed. She was lost in his hold as he worked his hands on her shoulders and back. Ash couldn't resist her. She surprised him with her intensity, and just basked in the moment.

When they finally broke apart, Ash gave her an answer.

"I choose you."

* * *

** How did you like it? How 'bout that end eh? I tried real hard to make it as fitting as possible. If you would, could you guys please leave a review? I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, since this is by far my most favorited story I've ever written, and I'd like to know what you guys think! Also, let me know if this story should continue, but for now, I'm moving on to **_**There and Back Again 2**_**. Thanks for giving me support for my first pearlshipping story, and not the last I can guarantee! See you around!**


	6. Part I: Chapter 6

**Epilogue**

The rest of the school year came fast for the group, to their shock. During their final week of school, the boys had their basketball summer league begin on Monday. It was being held at Saffron High, to their dismay, since they had developed quite hatred between each other. The gym had the Rockets logo for their school in the center. The Kanto Warriors were facing one of their league rivals, the Pallet Wildcats. While their rivalry didn't match the one between them and the Viridian Hornets, it was still pretty distasteful.

The two teams were in layup lines getting warmed up for the coming contest, Ash, Napoleon, Gary, and Paul all together. They all liked to take three point shots instead aside from Paul, who didn't specialize from that range.

When the refs called for the game to begin, the normal starters lined up around the circle for the tip. Dawn, May, Leaf, and Misty all showed up to cheer on the boys and watched from the sidelines. Hundley prepared for the tip and won it with ease, since the Warriors were the dominant team in the league, it wasn't surprising. Ash grabbed the ball out of the air and dribbled it up slowly. He decided to take on his defender by spinning around him and flying in for the layup with no defender at the rack.

"Nice one Ash!" Gary complimented and Ash gave him a wink. The game went on basically the same way; the Warriors had an easy time on offense and dominated the Wildcats with ease. However, towards the end of the game:

Ash dribbled the ball past halfcourt with a 20 point lead on their opponent. He then noticed a hole in the defense and penetrated through the wing. He then jumped for a layup, but was stopped midflight by the center. He managed to force the ball through the net, but landed hard on one leg. The rest of his body fell awkwardly, and Ash didn't get back up. He grimaced in great pain and grasped his right knee. Napoleon had his jaw dropped and his hands behind his head. "No, no, no! Not Ash!" he realized what may have happened.

Dawn gasped in horrid concern for her boyfriend and had both hands over her mouth, the rest of the girls wondering what was wrong with him. First aid rushed to him and surrounded the collapsed Ash. The rest of the boys stayed back to let them work.

"What hurts?" one of them asked. Ash kept grasping his knee and pointed to it. The first aid nodded and then had a stretcher pulled out. "Can you stand?" they asked him, and he gave a violent shaking of his head, and they lifted him up onto the stretcher. They eventually injected an anesthetic and he passed out quickly to relieve him of the pain.

* * *

Ash awoke in a hospital bed to a doctor at his side. She was in a large white coat and held a clipboard in her right hand. He fluttered his eyes to clear his vision.

"What…happened?" he asked groggily. The doctor nodded.

"You fell pretty hard on your right leg and the awkwardness of the fall tore your ACL in your right knee," She informed him. Ash pulled his head back and sighed, hands over his face. "You will need to take 9-12 months off to recover from this injury before you play basketball again. For now, I suggest that you get some rest here."

The doctor then walked out to leave Ash alone to his bed. He couldn't believe it. With this injury, he won't play until next summer and miss the regular season. It was a shame. Suddenly, he heard the door open to his room. Napoleon, Gary, and Paul all filed into the room. It at least brought a smile to his face.

"Hey bud, how're you holding up?" asked Gary. Ash smiled to try and lighten the somber mood a bit. He laughed.

"In my current state, it's as good as it gets," Ash assured, getting a laugh from the boys. "What's up guys?"

Paul nodded. "Nothing much, it's just hard to win without a point guard like you that's all." Ash nodded somberly. He knew that it would be tough without him around.

"I know, but we'll just have to make due I guess," Ash tried to assure. Napoleon shook his head.

"Don't worry about it Ash, we'll be fine," he assured before shaking his hand with Ash. Ash smiled and nodded. The three then looked around to each other, causing Ash to wonder.

"What's going on guys?" he questioned curiously. They all looked around with a smug look on each of their faces.

"We weren't the _only _ones to show up today," Napoleon hinted as they slowly left the room. Confusion was then masked by joy as Dawn appeared from the door as they all left, giggling of course. When they finally left the room and the door shut, it was just Dawn, beautiful Dawn. Flawless in almost every way, she stood out like no other. Her wavy blue hair, her wonderful eyes, everything about her was perfect. Pure beauty could only describe someone like her, and there were no others like her. Her face was plastered with worry, but it was all brightened by her gorgeous smile, a smile that could bring joy to the saddest of times, like this one. She was a beacon of hope for him, and would make his recovery from this horrible injury an easy one.

She took the doctor's seat next to him. She slowly took his open hand in the hospital bed and held it gingerly in her two. When their eyes met, Dawn couldn't help but blush and smile.

"Hey there," Ash broke the silence. Dawn gave a slight nod. Ash's heart broke when her smile slowly became tears of sympathy and almost guilt.

"I'm so sorry this had to happen to you…Ash," she tried to soothe with a teary voice. Ash almost felt as if he was going to fall apart. Seeing her like this felt horrible beyond belief.

He freed his hand from her grasp gently and placed it on her cheek. "Stop Dawn, please. I'm going to be alright." She then placed her own had on top of his and wiped her tears with the other.

"I'm sorry Ash, I just can't stand to see you like this," Dawn worried. Ash smiled to attempt to lighten her mood. Dawn looked up and took a deep breath. Like the sun rising, her smile returned to her face, and rejuvenated Ash in a way he didn't think was possible. She laughed before she met his gaze once again. "I love you Ash, I really do."

Ash nodded. "I love you too, Dawn." She then leaned into him and placed a kiss right on his lips. Pure joy and warmth poured into Ash as the two shared their feelings for each other, a moment he would never forget.

When they separated, Dawn sighed. "Well, they said I had 5 minutes before they worked on you again, but this has been the greatest 5 minutes of my life." When she got up from the chair and headed for the door, she turned. "Just remember Ash, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. Just give me a call, and I'll be there in no time."

Ash nodded. "Trust me, I will. There's no one better." Dawn blushed at the comment before she opened the door out. She gave him one last look before she exited.

* * *

**Short? Yes, I know, but I don't really want to extend this story any further. So yes everyone, Ash tore his ACL, yay, whatever. I really hope you enjoyed this little ending to my most popular story! Thanks for the support!**

**Edit: After 5 seconds of this being up, I will post an Epilogue part 2 to clear up anything, since I do agree I may have rushed the end a bit.**


	7. Part I: Chapter 7

**I had the Epilogue up for literally 5 minutes and my phone got lit up with complaints of the ending. Since it DID seem abrupt, I will finish it here.**

* * *

**Epilogue Part 2**

"And Napoleon hits his 11th consecutive three pointer! Man, this kid cannot miss!" the announcer shouted at the spectacle he was witnessing. It seemed like every time Napoleon received the ball, he scored. He was on course for a 50 point game, having 45 currently in an amazing showing against their league rival, the Viridian Hornets. They had struggled pre-league without Ash, going 5-3 rather than 7-1 last year with him. However, they found their groove in league, blasting off into a 4 game win streak and starting 4-0 in league play before facing off against the Hornets at home. Paul was also a monster on the rebounds and was able to grab missed shots and flush them to Napoleon who would hit the shot easily.

"With that three, the Warriors open up a 10 point lead on their league rival! They lead the Hornets 81-71 with 48 seconds left," the announcer finished. Napoleon had a smug look on his face as he high fived his teammates. A lot had happened in since Ash tore his ACL back in June. It was January now, and Ash was able to walk on it, but still couldn't play for precautionary reasons. He was slated to return for the last two games of the season in February, according to the doctors since his recovery was on the 9 month track rather than the 12 month one due to miraculous speed. They were all juniors now, and school still had the same feeling for the most part. Ash still maintained with Dawn, while Gary and Leaf had got together after talking for a long time. Napoleon and Paul still remained without a girlfriend, but it didn't seem to bother them.

Ash held his seat on the bench with his team, and he got up as Napoleon approached. He gave the sweating player and hard high five and a good bro hug. "Wow Napoleon, you're something! Where would we be without you?"

Napoleon smiled. "Thanks for the love Ash, but we still miss you man. It'll be great once you come back!" Ash nodded.

"Yes it will," he replied and then pointed towards the court. "Now finish those Hornets off!" Napoleon nodded and took the court. Ash couldn't help but smile when Napoleon raised both hands in the air towards the crowd, thanking it for the support for his amazing game, and got a loud response.

* * *

After the game, Ash and Dawn walked home late at night. The Warriors got the win; Napoleon dropped 47 with a final layup for the dagger at the end to win by 12.

"Good to see that the Hornets lost to us three times in a row now," Dawn laughed. Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I just wish I could be a part of the action, you know?" Ash sighed. Dawn felt bad for her boyfriend. He wanted to play so badly, and he couldn't due to such a freak accident that wasn't even his fault. She wrapped her arms around him to attempt to comfort him.

"Oh Ash, I know you'll get through this, and when you come back, you'll do great!" Dawn assured. Ash nodded. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would get to compete again, and when he did, he would come out swinging. He returned Dawn's hug. If it wasn't for her help; getting to school, moving around, everything basically; he wouldn't be in the condition that he was. She was an amazing help.

"I love you Dawn, forever," he promised. Dawn blushed.

"I do too Ash, until the end," she replied.

* * *

February came as fast as it could for Ash. Napoleon led the Varsity team to a 9-0 record, and was slated to take on the Viridian Hornets in hostile territory for their final game for back to back perfect years. Ash was slated to return a game earlier, but they decided it was best to give it two more days, and a minutes restriction to be sure against the Hornets. He couldn't argue with that, since he didn't expect to play at all when the injury actually happened.

The team took the floor and was instantly met by boos from the home side, but was almost drowned out by a very loyal away side and Warriors fan base. Due to their success, the passion for basketball was nine high at Kanto High. When Ash took the floor behind the team, the stands rose and clapped vigorously for his return. He couldn't help but raise one hand in the air to thank the overwhelming support. He picked out Dawn in the cheerleading group and pointed at her to thank her especially, getting a bright smile and blush from her.

"Ash Ketchum is slated to make a triumphant return tonight after suffering an ACL tear and will play on a minutes restriction," the announcer informed, getting a loud cheer from the crowd. Ash joined the layup lines behind Napoleon. He instantly turned around and gave Ash a big hug.

"Alright bro, don't push yourself, but let's put on a show!" he encouraged before he ran in to make his layup. Ash nodded and received the ball for his turn. As he put in the easy layup, he got massive applause from all over and he smiled. The support he was getting was amazing. He then looked over and saw signs all over that read: _WELCOME BACK ASH!_, and the slogan _MAKE IT SPLASH ASH!_, making him smile.

When the referees signaled for the teams to line up, Ash took the bench since he was slated to come off of the bench. Hundley won the tip for his team, and it was time to begin.

As the game went on, Napoleon once again had a field day against the Hornets, and grabbed 15 points in the first quarter, and the Warriors held a 23-20 lead going into the second. As the coach called out who was to take the floor, he called over Ash. The raven haired boy ran to his side. The coach whispered to him to take it easy but have fun and sent him on. Gary, Napoleon, and Paul fist pumped as he took the floor and raised their hands in the air for the crowd to ignite. Ash smiled as he took the floor and got a "let's go" from his teammates. As the Hornets took the ball up the floor and started their offense, Paul was able to grab the rebound from the missed shot and found Ash immediately. The crowd roared as he dribbled the ball, and brought tears to Dawn's eyes of pure joy as he was able to finally play again. Ash dribbled up with confidence. He walked up to the three point line at the wing and bent over. He sold a drive, but dribbled back to throw his defender off balance and then executed an ankle-breaking crossover than planted him on his rear. The crowd erupted as he took the three pointer after he broke his ankles. He sunk the shot without a problem, and hyped the crowd without an issue. Napoleon was freaking out of his mind and hugged Ash as the Hornets called a timeout.

"Don't do it Ash!" Napoleon laughed. "Be nice!" Ash laughed along as he finally felt the joy of the sport again after the excellent move. It was a hell of a comeback.

Ash received 15 total minutes and managed to drop 13 points in his return, lifting the Warriors to a 70-59 win over the Hornets and back to back perfect league seasons. As soon as the buzzer sounded for the game to end, the crowd got off their seat and jumped and cheered for Ash. Dawn hopped the railing and ran for her boyfriend. As soon as he saw her, he broke all conversation with his team and let her jump into his arms. They both kissed in place in pure joy for each other.

"You did this, didn't you?" Ash asked her. Dawn smiled.

"Well, I may have had a _little_ role in setting this whole thing up for my one and only, yes!" she teased. Ash shook his head. Dawn was always one to be sarcastic of course. Dawn was so amazing. She did all of this for him, and to make him feel alive again.

"Thank you Dawn, for everything," he thanked as a tear rolled down his face. Dawn smiled and laughed.

"Of course Ash, I would do anything for you. I love you so much," she assured. The two once again went in for a kiss, this time much more passionate, and much more memorable.

* * *

**OK, hopefully that was ending you were all looking for. I wanted to base this off of Paul George's comeback from his horrible leg injury, and I thought this came out pretty good! I would like to thank everyone for the support and hope that you all enjoyed this ride as much as I did!**


	8. Part II: Chapter 1

**I know this story is supposed to be finished, but I decided to add a Part II! It will be a new story with a new plot, and less basketball oriented. It will take place during summer break of Junior Year and then Senior Year. I hope this lives up to the story's name!**

* * *

**MORE THAN A GAME PART II**

**Chapter 1**

While junior year's schoolwork was a hassle, the year went great for the group. While they didn't make it deep into playoffs, but Ash was fully recovered over that time and back to full strength by the end of the school year. Dawn was still strong with him, while Gary, Paul, and Napoleon all decided to wait out the whole "girlfriend" thing for next year. They all seemed OK with it, too focused on basketball to be honest. May had become interested in a green-haired boy named Drew, who didn't play basketball (disregard chapter 1), but was one of the "hot-shots", similar to Gary. He had become friends with the group quickly, hitting on every girl that he basically saw, something that Napoleon found hilarious. Serena quit pursuing Ash as soon as it seemed impossible to break him and Dawn apart, and moved on for the most part.

They all decided that the best way to spend their first day of summer was to head to a nearby park and play some football, two-hand touch of course. Napoleon thought it would be a good idea to play some rap music while they played through his phone and wireless speaker.

As soon as the first song played, Napoleon began to dance like an idiot and mouth the words, getting laughs from the boys, while Dawn, May, Misty, and Leaf were all occupied in their own activities, which was sitting down and watching, even with some hard encouragement from the boys.

Ash, Gary, Paul, Drew, Barry, and Napoleon all lined up and decided to pick teams with negotiation except for team captains. Napoleon of course had his first proposition. "I got Ash and Drew, done." He got looks all around that made him wonder why he was being stared at.

"No way man, that would be way too unfair. I'm thinking you, Barry and Paul would even it out nicely." Drew suggested. Napoleon protested, but the group shut him up quick and they decided that it would work out great that way. A large grass field was the battleground, and they decided the ends were good enough for the end zones. They determined that Ash's team would get the ball first, so Napoleon, Paul, and Barry took the other side of the field to throw it down field for the return. Paul gave it a great heave and sent it down to the other side with his arm. Ash received the ball as Gary and Drew ran up to block. Paul found it easy to break through and place two hands on Ash at about three-fourths of the field away from the other side.

Drew was the actual starting quarter back of the varsity football team, which is why Napoleon lobbied for him. He took the ball in his hands and lined up for the play, Ash and Gary lined up on the sides to prepare for whatever they had up their sleeves. Napoleon decided to stay on Ash, while Barry took Gary, and Paul would pressure Drew.

Knowing Drew so well, he looked over to the assembly of girls and shouted. "May! This one's for you!" he said with a smirk. May blushed while Dawn and Misty rolled their eyes. Drew hiked the ball back sending Ash and Gary down the field. Napoleon trailed behind Ash while Barry had Gary locked down. Paul counted down before he charged Drew, but Drew had a confident smile on his face. He gave the ball a good chuck, and it sailed down towards Ash. It looked so perfect until Napoleon turned on the jets and intercepted the ball mid-air with one hand. Napoleon laughed as he ran down the field without anyone to stop him. Paul blocked Drew from stopping him, and Napoleon was home free, shouting taunts and cheering about how awesome he thought he was. Dawn and Misty couldn't help but laugh at Drew for his cockiness.

"Who was that for?" Dawn asked as she laughed. Drew shook his head, still with a smile on his face.

"I was showing May that I'm going to 'steal' her heart. Get it?" Drew cleverly covered up his mistake, getting a laugh from May.

"That wasn't even clever Drew," Dawn mocked, causing Drew to laugh.

"Why don't you come out here and give us a hand eh? Maybe you'll realize how difficult this all is!" Drew challenged. The other three girls let out an "oooo", and Dawn shook her head. She really didn't have a choice at this point.

Dawn rose to her feet. "Alright. Proving boys wrong is my specialty after all." Ash scoffed and laughed.

"You don't have to do this Dawn," she gave him a hard look and a smirk. "OK then." Dawn caught the ball as Napoleon tossed it to Drew. He had no idea what was happening since he was too busy admiring himself.

"Wha- wait, _she's_ playing now?" Napoleon asked. He got an angry look from everyone, which shut him up quick. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with that of course."

Dawn then threw the ball at his head and he stopped it before it clonked him. He then ushered Barry and Paul to follow him to the other end so he could throw off the ball. Dawn lined up with Ash and Gary in place of Drew. She stretched her legs out, causing Ash and Gary to laugh. Paul nodded to them and then hurled the ball across the field. Ash and Gary ran forward to block as Dawn caught the ball. They were given a big surprise as Dawn took off at almost Napoleon speed, catching up to them quickly. Ash shut down Paul this time, while Gary was able to stop Barry. Only Napoleon remained. Dawn saw an opportunity as Napoleon opened up his legs to catch her, and she slid under him, taking off towards the end zone for the return.

Drew got down on his knees and bowed multiple times. "I'm not worthy!" he shouted as Dawn walked up to him and dropped the ball next to his head and pranced her way back to the girls. Ash scoffed and held his hand out to help him up. Drew scratched his head. "She's a handful isn't she?"

Ash laughed. "You're telling me." The two boys looked on over the girls from a distance.

Drew then nodded. "Yeah she's strange, a hot one at that." Ash nodded in agreement and they both returned to their game.

* * *

Right after their game concluded, they all decided to head down to the nearest coffee shop to grab a couple of drinks and hang out. They all sat together in a circle around a couple of tables fused together cleverly. Dawn sat next to Ash, leaning up against him as she drank her coffee, while Ash went with water. Drew was still hitting on May around the table, and everyone had to listen to his corny one-liners, getting groans from everyone. Barry, Paul, and Gary all took off early to get home for their own reasons. May, Drew, Leaf, Misty, Napoleon, Ash, and Dawn all stayed back and proceeded to tell jokes and listen to Napoleon go on about himself.

"I just can't believe I was able to put everyone on their ass as I scored…wow that was amazing," Napoleon gloated, causing Ash to shake his head.

"Tell us something we don't know," Ash scoffed, getting a smirk from Napoleon. Ash then pulled Dawn closer to him. "I think Dawn has heard enough of your blathering." Dawn nodded and hugged Ash.

Drew scoffed. "Get a room lovebirds." Napoleon nodded in agreement, and May elbowed Drew, stopping him from continuing. Ash and Dawn blushed madly, but didn't separate from each other.

"You two belong with each other!" Misty complimented, getting a nod from Ash. "There's no doubt about it."

"I disagree." A voice from behind the group interrupted their conversation. Dawn groaned and Napoleon growled at the voice, knowing full well who it was. Ash looked up and noticed a red-haired boy with a green shirt and brown pants. He didn't have a happy look on his face.

"What do you want Kenny?" Dawn snapped. "I thought you said you would leave me alone!" Her expression on her face and tone of her voice made it quite clear that she was not happy to see him. Drew leaned over to Napoleon.

"Who is this Kenny guy?" he whispered. Napoleon scoffed and shook his head. He seemed to be in the same boat as Dawn.

"He used to be Dawn's boyfriend at our old school. She broke up with him when she found out he cheated with this other girl. He's still hung up on her I guess," Napoleon clarified, and Drew just chuckled. He always loved a good bit of drama.

Kenny didn't let up. "I just wanted you to know that I'm transferring to Kanto High for my Senior year, and I hope to see you there," Kenny smirked, making Dawn growl and Napoleon shake his head. He then looked to Ash. "And as for you, I wouldn't trust that girl. One day she'll love you, and the next day she'll drive you crazy."

Ash was bewildered, but Napoleon scoffed and spoke up. "Fuck off Kenny. You couldn't stick with Dawn even if you were back together. Get a life," he retorted in a calm tone. Drew let out an _oooo_ when Napoleon finished, and Kenny shook his head.

"I don't care. No one breaks up with _me_. You'll see that in time," Kenny retorted. That sent Ash over the edge as he stood up angrily.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you threatening her?!" Ash shouted, and Dawn tried to calm him down. He did in time, but kept a savage expression towards Kenny. The red-haired boy simply smiled.

"Have a good day," he saluted and then walked off and out. Napoleon was shaking his head and had his arms crossed.

"If I could I would beat that smile off of his face…man," he grunted as he smacked his fist lightly on the table. May looked around a bit.

"I'm sorry, but who is he? I really had no idea what was going on," May asked. Dawn decided to speak up.

"Don't worry about him. He's just an idiot," Dawn replied before she sipped her coffee. Drew nodded in agreement. That much, seemed settled.

Ash was not settled. Now he had an enemy to deal with in Kenny. He had no idea what the kid was capable of, and he didn't want to find out. Dawn wasn't going to be touched by him, and he knew he had his group to help him out, therefor; there really wasn't any need to worry.

"Let's talk about something else," Ash interjected. "Like where me and Dawn are going tonight."

Dawn leaned into Ash's chest and smiled. "Awww…you're so cute." Napoleon couldn't help but laugh.

"You two are just a handful," Napoleon teased before he got up from his seat. "Alright, I'm going to jet, see you guys later." He shook hands with everyone and waved before he left the coffee shop. May then looked over to Drew.

"Why don't me and you take off as well, and do our own thing?" May suggested. Drew shook his head.

"You don't have to ask," Drew replied. "See you two later!" He finished before he took May's hand and led her out. Misty said her goodbyes as well and began to leave, but paused.

"Ash, Dawn," she said. "Stick together…no matter what happens. You two were made for each other."

She then made her way out, Ash and Dawn left alone.

* * *

** Of course, this was a "testing the waters" chapter, so it has little content, but it will be more action packed than this of course. I just couldn't watch this story continue to get views and leave it alone. It deserves more. The show must go on. I return from vacation on Sunday, but I'm hitting the road tomorrow, so no chapters probably until next week.**

**Please leave a review, follow/fav, all that good stuff. Tell me what you think about the story coming back! See you next time!**


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